Canceling and postmarking machine.



PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

M. V. B. ETHRIDGB. GANOELING AND POSTMARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21.1906.

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PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

M. V. B. ETHRIDGE.

OANOELING AND POSTMARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21.1906.

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PATENTED MAR. 17, mos.

M. V. B. ETHRIDGE. OANCELING AND POSTMARKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 21.1906.

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M. V. B. ETHRIDGE. CANOBLING AND POSTMARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21,1906.

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UNITED I MARTIN V. B. ETHRIDGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CANCELING AND POSTMARKING MACHINE.

' Original application filed June 1, 1905, Serial Specification ofLetters Patent.

No. 263,237. Divided and this application filed May 21, 1906. Serial No.317,957.

Patented March 17, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat'I, hlARTIN V. B. Ern- RIDGE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canceling andPostmarking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present application relates to certain improvements which I havemade in means for postmarking and stain) canceling mail matter, andembodies matter originally embraced in my co-pending application N 0.263,237 filed June 1, 1905, and of which the present case is a division.

The present invention more particularly relates to the means of thesemachines whereby a relative movement toward and from each other of themarking and impression elements is produced under the control of themail matter to be postmarked and stamp-canceled; one of its important objects being to produce a novel and reliable meansby which a relativemovement of said elements away from each other is eifcotcd when there isno matter between them to be marked, whereby inking of the conv 'ingmeans is prevented at such time, and by which also a relative movementof said elements toward each other is produced when matter to be markedreaches the marking station, whereby it is assured of receiving themanking imprint.

In machines of this class letters of different thicknesses are requiredto be treated and it frequently happens that those whose thicknessvaries from what may be regarded as an average thickness do not receivea proper imprint, for the reason that the are subjected to too much orto too little pressure during the marking operation. At any rate, themechanism of such machines has not, as far as I know, been arranged soas automatically to adjust itself to produce substantially uniformimpressions upon widely varying Therefore, in providing mechanism forproducing the relative movement hereinbcfore referred to, between themarking and impression elements, I have sought to provide a meanswhereby the tension between the marking and impression elements may beautomatically regulated under the control of the piece of mail matter tobe postmarked and stamp spirit of the canceled, in such manner as to besubstantially constant regardless of the thickness of said matter. Incarrying out this important object of the invention I have provided atension or pressure regulating mechanism which comprises certainspring-actuated elements which are primarily or ultimately controlled oroperated by each individual piece of mail matter and which may be soassociated with each other that up to a certain predetermined extent ofrelative movement between the marking and impression elements, thetension upon the mail is entirely that of one of the spring elements,and beyond such limit of movement the other spring element comes intoplay, in such manner as to permit further relative movement between themarking and impression elements without substantially increasing theforce of the pressure exerted by the spring elements.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a form of mechanismadapted to.

accomplish the purpose stated, and which, furthermore, is otherwiseadvantageous, and for said reason is itself made the subject matter ofclaims based upon the elements em loyed therein.

t is to be understood, however, that in so far as the first and mostimportant feature of the invention hereinbcfore referred to isconcerned, it is not restricted to the detail exemplification hereinillustrated, and that the invention in every aspect thereof is to beconsidered as comprehending any and all means which fairly fall withinthe terms and be construed as broadly as possible without actualviolence to the language employed therein.

In the drawingsz Figurel is a top plan view of a machine embodying mypresent improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is anenlarged plan view of the means for regulating the pressure at the pointof print. Fig. 4.'is a vertical section on the plane of the line 3"?) inFig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 55 ofFig. 1. The same characters of reference designate the same parts in these"eral views.

10 is a table or other means of support appropriate to the mechanism ofthe present invention. It is provided with legs 11, and

appended claims, which are to 1 spring 652.

Q sea,

with a bracket 12, adapted to support a casing 13 within which isconfined a motor (not shown) of any suitable size and construction.Extending upward from the casing 13 is the actuating shaft 14 of themotor. To this shaft there is secured a toothed pinion' 15 which isadapted to mesh with a gear 16. This gear 16 is mounted upon a shaft 17which rotates in suitable bearings, as 18, in the frame of the machine,and carries the marking cylinder 42 by which the postmarking data andstamp canceling marks are imprinted on the letters successivelypresented thereto. On the shaft 17 there is secured a second gear wheel,19, which is the first one of the train of mechanism, comprising alsogears 20 and 21 and a shaft 22, which communicate motion to thedispersing wheel 24. This dis ersing wheel is or may be of usual and welknown construction and needs no further description. The gear 19 furthermeshes with a gear 30, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, mounted upon ashaft 31 suitably suspended in hearings in the frame of the machine.This shaft 31 carries a pulley 32 which drives an upright conveyer belt33, which belt also passes around the idlers 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38. Theidler .38 holds-the belt 33 yieldably against the letter and is arrangednear to, but above the horizontal plane of, the marking element which,as usual, is preferably in the form of a cylinder 42. Said idler 38 isalso arranged opposite a roller 52, and it is mounted upon a yieldingbearing, preferably composed of a bell crank lever 70, which isfulcrumed at 71 and provided with a spring 730 secured to a post 731projecting from the frame of the machine. The roller 52 is rotatablymounted directly above the marking cylinder 42 and opposite the belt 33and idler 38 and cooperates with the belt and idler in assuring properfeeding of the letter, one side of which it engages. '60 is the inkingroll. This roll is mounted upon a suitable shaft 61 and is heldyieldably againstthe printing cylinder 42, which it supplies with ink,preferably by mounting its shaft 61 upon one of the members-63 of ahorizontal bell crank lever, the other member (64) of which is adaptedto bear against an adjustable stop 65 and is provided with a This leverisfulcrumed at the unction of its members 63 and 64, by a pin 630.having head to prevent vertical displacementof' the lever.

8O designates the impression element which, usual, is preferably a roll;In the illustrated form of the invention it is movable toward and fromthe printing element 42 and-is'herein shown as carried by a pivoted armor lever 801, and is loosely mounted to rotate upona threaded pin, thehead of which is seen at 800, with which the end of the lever or armjust referred to, is provided. This impression roll bears upon the sideof the letter 90, at a place directly opposite the marking cylinder 42and is referably arranged beneath the plane of t 1e lower edge of thebelt 33 by which the letters are conveyedbetwccn the impression'roll andmarking cylinder. The pivoted arm or, lever 801 is fulcrunied betweenits ends (at 802, Fig. 4) upon a fixed post 821 and, in the form hereinshown, all the movements of the impression element, both toward and fromthe marking element and for thin and thick letters, are around this post821 as a fulcrum.

Mounted at a convenient place and above the marking cylinder. and. so asto bear upon or engage the same side of the letter as the cylinder, isthe actuating element of the spring mechanism by which in theillustrated embodiment. of theinvention the movement of the impressionelement toward the marking element is accomplished when a letter isbrought into marking position. .This actuating element is preferably aflat trip 81, and p it is carriedby the/member 82 of a bell= cranklever, which is fulcrumed at 83 and has its other member 84 providedwith a spring 85, which acts thereupon to hold the trip 81 v yieldablyin the path of the mail.

The warm or lever S01 constitutes, in the form herein shown, a swingingbearing for the impression element 80, and between it and the'bcll cranklever just referred to connections are providedby which it becomespossible to maintain a substantially uniform pressure upon the mailmatter regardless of the thickness ofthe latter. These connectionscomprise a link 803, one end of which is connected to the end of thelever 801 remote from the impression roll, and a second lover or arm,804, to which the other, end of the link is connected. This second armor lever is pivoted upon a pin 805, carried by the end 806 of a swingingarm 807, shown in full lines in' Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Figs. 1and 4. To this swinging arm. is attached one end of a spring 820, theother end of which is secured to the before mentioned post 821 orother'suitable holding means provided for the purpose. The end-of thisswinging arm remote from the pin 805 and spring 820 is pivoted at 808to' the frame of the machine. The end of the second arm or lover 804rcmote from the link 803 is pivotally connected at 860 to one end of atoggle link 86 the other end of which is pivoted at 861 to the end ofthe adjacent member 84 of the angle levcr hcreinbeforo referred to.

The operation of the parts described is as follows z-When no mail isbetween the marking cylinder and impression roll, the

free end of the trip 81 will project beyond the face of the markingcylinder, or into or across the path of the mail, as shown in Fi 1. inthis position of the 5 arts, the toggle link 86 is inclined, as towardthe right from the member 84, and the impression roll 80 is held awayfrom the marking cylinder 42 by the tension of the spring 85, ashereinafter more fully set forth. When a letter, 90, is fed by the belt32 into position between the marking cylinder and impression roll, itstrikes the trip 81 and turns the angle lever upon its fulcrum 83,forcing the member 84 thereofl 'oward the right until it strikes theshoulder 84* which acts to stop its further 13 movement in suchdirection. This movement of the member 84 causes .the link 86 tostraighten and to press upon the end of the .second arm 804, causingsaid second arm to turn .u on'its fulcrum at 805 so as to act, 1: throngthey link 803, upon the arm 801 and cause the impression roll 80 toadvance to- Ward the marking cylinder 42 and into position to engage.the side of the mail. In this position the parts are held yieldably bythe 2; spring 85 which has been stretched by the described movement ofthe member 84 of the angle lever. The fulcrum 83 and the pivots 861 and860 connecting the togglelink 7 86 with the member 84 and lever 804 areeji'now approximately in line with each other go that the toggle linkand the member 84 are'locked together forming in effect a rigid ,pi-ecewhich-extends from the fulcrum 83 to -the pivotal connection at 860 ofthe toggle, 2Q link with the arm 804.

g In this position of the partathe second arm or lever S04 is locked-thereby-against pivotal movement around its fulcrum at 805. It will nowbe seen that if the letter is of thickness greater than the space thusprovided between the impression roll and marking cylinder, the tendencywill be to force the impression roll away from the ,marking c hinder,the trip being locked by the shoul or 84 against movement away 4-0 fromthe impression roll. This will cause the.nm,801 to turn upon it fulcrum802, thus causing the link 803 to guess upon the arm 804. As the link 86is lchgthwise of the path of movement of the pontiguous end of the 804around the fulcrum 805, it is apparelihfith'at the arm is compelled toturn upon or aroun the pivot 800 as a fulcrum, thus swinging t e arm 807and putting the spring '820 under tension the pressure of which isthereby exerted against the mail.

When the mail has passed beyond the marking cylinder and impression rollthe tension of the s ring 820 is relaxed, the arm 807 is returne to itsformer position, abutting, at

at, upon theframq of the machine or other stop provided therefor; thespring 85 acts upon the member 84 of the angle lever to restore the tri'to its previous position across the ath 0ft 9 mail and thepreviousrelation so of t e toggle link 86 and arm S04 is restored. In-assummgthis position of the parts the pullof the sprin 85 exerted on the member84 isti'ansmitte through the link 86 to the contiguous end of'the arm A,pulling the at; same toward the member 84 and causing the arm to turnupon' the pivot 805, thus,

through the link 8013, pulling upon arm 801,

and moving the impression roll away from the marking cylinder, wherebythe deposi tion of ,ink on the impression roll is prevent- 70 ed. Thisposition of the impression roll is maintained by the spring until itstendency to increase the distance between the impression cylinder andmarking cylinder is counteracted by the action of the regulating 75means described, between it and the impression'cylinder under thecontrol of the mail matter to be postmarked and star rip-canceled.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of my invention, theadaptability 30 thereof to the maintaining of a substantially constantpressure on pieces of mail matter regardless of the thickness thereofwill be apparent. Thus, it has already been seen that the trip carryingbell crank lever acts, under 5 the control of the mail matter andthrough its connections with the impression element, to advanc'e' thelatter toward its impression position. At this time the impressionelement is under the tension of the primary 90 spring 85, and it isobvious that the parts may be and in fact in my practice are so relatedto each other that themovcment dcscribcd is such as to produceproperpressure upon mail matter of a prc-detcrmined thickncss, such as a usualor average thickness thereof, the spring pressure in such event beingthat of the spring 85 only, the spring 820 being in its normal orinactive condition. Now, when a thicker piece of mail matter is broughtinto marking position the second spring 820 comes into play, by theswinging of the arm 804 around its fulcrum at 8'60, for such additionalthickness, thus permitting the latter to be accommodated without increasing the tension of the spring 85. Thus, the mechanism adjustsitself automatically to the thickness of the matter to be postmarked andstamp canceled in such manner as to maintain a constant or uniformtension between the impression roll and marking cylimler,'assuringproper and uniform impressions upon all thicknesses of such matter.

A suitable guiding means preferably comprised of the plate 93 supportedin any suit- 5 able manner at one side of the path of the mail and asecond plate 901 arranged at the other side of the path of the mail, ispreferably provided. Thcseplates engage opposite sides of the mailmatter and stiffen the 0 same so as to correct tendency of the edgethereof to curl and strike the impression roll. The plate 901 ispreferably carried by one end of a bell-crank lever 902, which isfulcrumcd at 71 and has its other end provided with a spring 903 whichholds the plate 901 vieldably toward the path'of the mail. The

lever 902 may also be provided with a roll 900 to bear upon the belt 32above the plate 901. The lever 902 is preferably arranged beneath theplane of the lever which carrice the idler 3S, and the plate 901 ispreferably formed as shown, byprovidii'ig the edge of the lever which ispresented toward the mail-path with a plane-surface shoe or tlange whichis arranged beneath the plane of the belt so as to be adapted directly 0engage the side of the mail. The roll 00 is pret erably mounted on theend of the lever in a sufliciently elevated position to engage the belt33'.

it will be noted that the means described efiectually feed the mailtoand between the marking and impression elements, without liability ofthe belt receiving ink from the marking element.-

From the foregoing the construc i n, operation and advantages ot thepresent invention will readily be seen, and it will be understood thatwhile the mechanism has been shown and described with some degree ofparticularity, yet it is not to be assumed thercl'ron'i that theinvention is restricted 'to the mechanism detailed, which in the broaderaspects of the invention is merely to be regarded as illustrative orsuggestive of suitable or preferred embodiments within the scope of theinvention. Because of peculiar advantages of the mechanism illustratet'land described, it is, however, made the subject matter of some claimsmore or less restricted thereto.

Having thus described the invention what I believe to be new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. In a machine of the kind described,relatively movable impression and marking elements, means tor conveyingmail matter of varying thickness between the same and a regulatingmechanism adapted to maintain a substantially constant tension betweensaid elements and comprising a plurality of springs and means wherebyeach of said springs acts yicldably to hold one of said elements towardthe other and the springs are placed successively under tension for suchaction.

2. in a machine of the kind described, relatively movable impression andmarking elements, means l or conveying mail mattcr ol" varying thicknessbetween the same and a regulating mechanism adapted to maintain asubstantially constant tension between said elements and comprising apair of springs successively brought into operation for mail exceeding aprcdctcrmiiwd thickness, one ol' said springs being active for thicknesswithin that prctlctcrmincd and the othcr inactiyc for the same-andexerting its pressure l'or thickness in excess thereof.

3. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable impression andmarking clelnents, means For conveying mail matter of varyingthicknessbetween the same, and a.

regulatingmechanism, having a swinging arm provided with a plurality 0tfulcrums,

means acting upon said arm to turn it upon one of its fulcrums for mailup to, a predetermined thickness, said means having a primary springwhich is set to operate for mail up to said predetermined thickness, andalso having a device whereby the arm is locked against movement on saidfulcrum by an excess of such thickness, a second spring connected withsaid arm and operated by the movement of the arm on. its second fulcrumtor thickness in excess of that predetermined tor th" primary spring,and connections between said arm and one of said elements.

4. in a machine of the kind described, relatively movable impression andmarking eleincnts, means for conveying mail niatter of var \ingthickness between the same, and a regulating mechanism, comprising aswinging arm carrying one of said elements, a second swinging arm havingaplurality of fulcrums, a link connecting said arms with each other,means connected with said arms at one of the lulcrums thereof andadapt-ed to turn it upon said lu'lcrum for mail up to a predeterminedthickness, said means having a primary spring which is placed undertension in the movement of said arm on said fulcrum and also having adevice whereby the arm is locked against further movement on saidfulcrum by an excess of said predetermined thickness, and a secondspring connected with said arm and operated by the movement ot the armon its second fulcrum for thickness in excess of that predetermined forthe primary spring.

5. ln a machine of the kind described, relatively movable impression andmarking ele ments, means for conveying mail matter of varying thicknessbetween the same, and a regulating mechanism, comprising a swing ing armcarrying one of said elements, a second swinging arm having a pluralityof fulcrums, a swinging bearing for the first of said l'ulcrums, a linkconnecting said arms with each other, means connected with said arms atthe second ol' its lulcruins and adapted to turn itupon said tirsttulcrum for mail upto a prcdctcrmincd thickness, said means haviug'a.primary spring which is placed under tension in the movement of said armon said l'ulcrnm and also having a device whereby the arm lsdockcdagainst further movement on said, tlrst fulcrum by an excess of saidpredetermined thickness, and a second spring connected withsaid arm andoperated by the movement of the arm on its second fulcrum tor thicknessin excess of that predetermined tor the primary spring, said arm in thelatter movement swinging said bearing of the first tulcruln.

6. A machine of the class described having its printing couple composedof a marking element and an impression element, and means for moving oneol Elie same bodily toward and from the other int the same fulcrum pointat all times, said means comprising a plurality of springs and. deviceswhereby each spring is adapted to hold the latter element yieldablytoward the other and the springs are placed successively under tensionfor such action.

7. A machine of the class described having its printing couple composedof a marking element and an impression element, and means for moving oneof the same bodily toward and from the other, said means comprising aplurality of springs, a pivoted arm, around the pivotof which themovable element moves bodily at all times, and devices whereby eachspring is adapted to act to hold the latter element yieldably toward theother and the springs are placed successively under tension for suchaction.

8. A machine of the kind described, having its printing couple composedof a marking element and an impression element, and

means for moving the same bodily toward and from the other, said meanshaving an actuating device which is arranged in the ath of the mail andis adapted to be controlled thereby, a plurality of springs a pivotedarm around the movable element moves bodily at all times, and deviceswhereby each spring is adapted to hold the latter element yieldablytoward the other and the springs are placed successively under tensionfor such action by movement of the actuating device and said impressionelement respectively.

9. A machine of the kind described, having its printing couple composedof a markin element and an impression element, and means for moving oneof said elements bodily toward and from the other element constantlyabout the same fulcrum point, com prisin a pivoted arm which carries themovable element and around the pivot of which the movable element movesbodily at all times, a plurality of springs and mechanism for bringingthe springs successively into action and causing each to hold themovable element yieldably toward the other element, comprising anactuating element which is operated by the mail and is connected withone of the springs, a second arm which is connected with the first armand with the actuating device and communicates movement to the first armfrom the actuating device, and a swinging bearing to which the secondarm is pivoted between its ends and around the fulcrum of which it moveswhen pressure is transmitted thereto from the movable element the otherof said springs being arranged to be placed under tension by the lattermovement.

10. In a. machine of the kind described, a conveying means, a markingelement and means for holding the mail matter to .the action of markingelement, comprising instrumentalities having mail engaging porpivot ofwhich the' tions which are arran ed on opposite. sides of the path ofthe mail and engage opposite sides of the mail and are each heldyieldably thereto.

11. In a machine of the kind described, a conveying means, a markingelement and means for holding the mail matter to the action of themarking element, comprising instrumentalities which are arranged onopposite sides of the mail-path and in position to engage oppositesides; of the mail, each of said instrunrentalities provided with a sring by which it is held against the mail an thereof, an means by whichone of said instrumentalities is adjusted to operative position bymovement of the other.

12. In a machine of the kind described, a conveying means a markingelement and means for holding the mail matter to the ac tion of themarking element, comprising instrumentalities to engage opposite sidesof the mail matter and means whereby each of the devices is yieldable tothe thickness of said matter and is held thereto, comprising aregulating mechanism connected with one of sald instrumentalitics andhaving a spring, a spring having connection with the other of saidinstrumentalities, and connections between the latter instrumentalityand the regulating mechanism.

13. In a machine of the kind described, relatively-movable marking andimpression elements, means for feeding mail matter between the same, andmechanism for holding the mail matter to the action of the markingelement, comprising means having instru-.

mentalities arranged to engage opposite sides of the mail matter, one ofsaid means provided with a lever having a swinging bearing and a sprinand the other ol said instrumentalities having pivotal connection withsaid lever and adapted to look its end against movement in apredetermined direction.

14. In a machine of the kind described, relatively .novable marking andimpression elements, and a regulating mechanism having connection withone of the same and comprising an arm, a movable spring-actuatingbearing for the arm and with which the same has pivotal connection, andmeans adapted to be actuated by mail matter to turn said arm on saidpivotal connection, said means also adapted to lock said arm againstsaid movement and having pivotal connection therewith to permit it tomove relatively thereto with said bearing.

15. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, and a regulating mechanism having connection withone of the same and comprising an arm, a movable spring-actuatingbearing for the arm and with which the same has pivotal ccmnection, andmeans adapted to be actuated by mail matter to turn said is ada ted toyield to the thickness is placed under tension by movement of said meansand is adapted to act through the regulating mechanism to hold themovable.ele ment yieldably against the mail.

16. In a machine of the kind described,

. relatively movable marking and impression elements, and a regulatingmechanism having connection with one of the same and comprising an arm,a movable spring-actuating bearing for the arm and with which the samehas pivotal connection, and means adapted to be actuated by mail matterto tur n .the*

arm relatively to said bearing, said arm havingpivotal connection withsaid means and adapted to turn relatively thereto when moved with saidbearing.

17. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, and a regulating mechanism hav ing connection withone of the same and comprising an arm, a movable spring-actuatingbearing for the arm and with which the same has pivotal connection, andmeans adapted to be actuated by mail matter to turn the arm relativelyto -sair earing, said arm having pivotal connection with said means andadapted to turn relatively thereto when moved with said bearin and aspring which is placed under tension y movement of said means and isadaptedto act through the regulating mechanism to hold the movableelement yieldably against the mail.

18. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, a regulating mechanism connected with one of saidelements and comprising an arm having a swinging bearing with which itis pivotally connected and a spring which is placed under tension whensaid bearing is swungiin one direction, and means for moving said armrelatively to its swinging bearing, said means having pivotal connectionwith the arm and said arm adapted to swing with the'bearing andrelatively to said means by pressure of mail between the marking andimpression elements.

19. In a machine of thekind described, rel atively movable marking andimpression elements, a regulating mechanism connected with one of saidelements and comprising an arm having a swinging bearing with which itis pivotally connected and a spring which is placed under tension whensaid bearing is swung in one direction, and spring-actuating means formoving said arm relatively to its swinging bearing, said means havingpivotal connection with the arm and said arm adaptcd to swing with thebearing and relatively to said'means by pressure of mail between themarking and impression elements.

20. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, a regulating mechanism connected with one of saidelements and comprising an arm having a swinging bearing with which itis pivotally connected, and a spring which is placed under tension whensaidbearing is swung in one direction, and an actuatmg mechanism forsaid arm comprising a trip device in the path of the mail matter, meansconnecting said trip device and arm, said arm having pivotal connectionwith saidmeans and said means adapted in its movement to move said armpivotally around its pivotal connection with the swingingbearing and tolock said arm against suchinovement when the movabie element has beenadjusted toward its companion element, and a spring which is placedunder tension by said'movement of the connecting means. A

21. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, a spring actuating trip device arranged in the pathof the matter to be marked, an arm, a swinging support upon which saidarm is fulcrumed, connections be tween the arm and one of said elementswhereby movement is commiirnca'ted be? tween the same, a connectionbetween the ,arm and trip device, adapted to move the latter around saidfulcrum when the trip device is moved and to lock it against saidmovement when the trip device has reached the end of its movement, and aspring which is placed under tension when said support is swung, sai'darm bein pivotally connected with said connection ant turning aroundsaid pivotal connection as a center when it is swung with said support.I

22. In a machine of the kind described,

relatively movable marking andimpression elements, a pivotally supportedarm carrying one oi said elements, a second arm, a swinging bearing withwhich the second arm is pivdtallyconnected, means connecting said armswith each other whereby movement of one is communicated to the other, aspring having connection with the second arm and placed under tension.when said bearing is moved in one direction, a trip device in the pathof the mail matter, a connection between said trip device and secondarm, said second arm being pivotally connected with said connection andthe lattcradapted to move-the second arm around its first mentionedpivot to adjustthe movableelement toward its companion and to preventmove mcnt oi' thesecond arm around said pivot when the movable elementhas been thus adjnsterhand a spring placed under tens'on by movement ofsaid trip device.

23. In a machine of the kind described,

relatively movable marking and impression elements, a regulatingmechanism connected with one of said elements, and comprising an armhaving a swinging bearing with which it is pivotally connected, and aspring which is placed under tension when said hearing is swung in onedirection, and an actuating mechanism for said arm comprising an anglelever, a trip d'evice carried by one end thereof and arranged in thepath ot the mail to be marked, a toggle link pivoted to said angle leverand arm and a spring connected to said angle lever and placed undertension by movement thereof.

24. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, and means for carrying one of the same andregulating its action, comprising a plurality of operatively connectedpivoted arms and a swinging bearing to which one of the arms is pivotedbetween its ends, said means also comprising a spring which is placedunder tension by movement thereof and acts therethrough to hold themovable element yieldably toward its companion.

25. in a. machine ot the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, and means for carrying one ot the same andregulating its action, comprising a plurality of operatively connectedpivoted arms, a swinging bearing to which one of the arms is pivotedbetween its ends, and means lor'locking the end of the latter armagainst movement in a predetermined direction, said carrying andregulating means also comprising a spring which is placed under tensionby movement thereof and acts thcrethrough to hold the movable e ementyieldably toward its companion.

26. In a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, and means for supporting one of the same andregulating its action, comprising a plurality of operatively connectedpivoted arms one of which carries the movable element and the other ofwhich is provided with means controlled by the mail matter for lockingits end against movement, and a swinging bearing connected to the latterarm between the ends thereof and around the ful crum of which the samemoves when said arm is thus locked, and a spring which is placed undertension when said bearing is moved, in a predetermined direction.

27. in a machine of the kind described, relatively movable marking andimpression elements, and means for supporting one of the same andregulating its action, comprising connected arms one of which is mountedupon a swinging hearing, a locking means having a spring and providedwith an aetuat ing elementin the path of the mail matter, andconnectionsbetween the last mentioned element and one of thefirst-mentioned arms, adapted to lock the end of the latter againstmovement in a predetermined direction, and a spring which is placedunder tension when said bearing isswung.

28. In a machine of the kind described, relatively-movable marking andimpression elements, a pivotally supported arm carrying one of saidelements, a second arm, having a swinging bearing with which it ispivota ly connected, a spring which is placed under tension when saidbearing is swung, a li connecting said arms with each other,

actuating means comprising a trip in the path of the mail matter, anangle lever carry-- ing said trip, a spring connected with said anglelever, and a toggle link pivotally conand an nected at one end to theangle lever and at its other end to the second arm.

2.). In a machine of the klnd descrlbed, relatively-nmvable marking andimpression elements, and means for moving one of the same, comprising anarm connected thereto, a link connected to said arm, a second armconnected to the link, a spring connected with the second arm, abellcrank lever adapted to be moved by pressure of the mail matter in frontof the marking element, and a toggle link between the second arm and thebell crank lever.

30. In a machine of relatively-movable marking and impression elements,and means same, comprising an arm connected thereto, a link connected tothe arm, a second arm connected to the link, a spring having C(Z nectionwith the second arm and means for locking the end of the second armagainst movement, having a trip mounted in the path of the conveyed mailmatter.

31. In a machine of the kind described, relalively-movable marking andimpression elements, and means for moving one of the same, comprising anarm connected thereto, a link connected to the arm, a second armconnected to the link, a spring having connection with the second arm, atrip mounted in the path of the conveyed mail matter, a bell crank leveradapted to be moved thereby and having connection with the second armand a spring for holding the trip against the mail matter.

32. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with mailmarking and conveying means, of a guiding means compristhe mail path andcontiguous to the markin element and adapted to engage the mail ancorrect tendency of the edge thereof to curl.

33. In a. machine of the kind described, the combination with mailmarking and conveying means, of a guiding means comprising elementsarranged on opposite sides of the mail path and contiguous to theInarkin element and adapted to engage the mail ant correct tendency ofthe edge thereof to curl, one of said elements being yieldably heldtoward the mail path.

34. In a machine of the kind described,

for moving one of the ing elements arranged on opposite sides of.

the kind described,

the combination with mail markingand conveying means, of a guiding menuscomprising elements arranged oil-opposite sides of the mail path andcontiguous to the marking element and adapted to engage the mail andcorrect tendency of the edge thereof to curl, one of said elementsbeing'yieldably held toward the mail path and provided with a roller toengage the conveying means.

35. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with mailmarking means and a mail-conveying belt, of a guiding means comprisingplates arranged to engage opposite sides of the mail contiguous to the Agage the belt, and a spring connected with fmarkmgl and impressionelements, devices one of said devices and holding it yieldably towardits companion,

37. In a machine of the kind described, marking and impression elements,means controlled by the mail for moving one of said elements toward theother, guiding devices arranged in advance thereof and cooperating witheach other to overcome tendency of the edge of the mail to curl, and abelt disposed at one side of the plane of the marking and impressionelements and guiding devices and feeding the mail between the same, saidbelt having a sidewise engagement with the mail. 38. In a machme ot thekind. described,

cooperating with each other to overcome the ten ency of the edge of themail to curl, arranged immediately in advance of the marking andimpression elements and engaging opposite sides of the mail, one ofsaiddevices provided with a roller and the other a plate,

and a belt for feeding the mail between said elements and between saiddevices, arranged in a different horizontal plane than the same, saidbelt engaged by said roller.

39. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a markingelement and an impression element, of means for feeding the mail betweensaid elements, comprising a traveling belt arranged above the plane ofthe marking and impression elements and I an impression element, ofmeans for feeding the mall between said elements, comprismg a travelingbelt arranged above the plane of the marking andv impression elementsand devices arranged to engage opposite sides of the mail beneath theplane of the belt and contiguous to the marking element and adapted tocorrect tendency of the edge of the mail to curl, one of said devicescomprising an angle lever having a mail engaging portion at one end andprovided with a spring for pressing its mail-engaging portion toward themail.

'41. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a markingelement and an impression element, of means for feeding the mail betweensaid elements comprising a traveling belt arranged above the plane ofthe marking and impression element, and rollers arranged on oppositesides of the mail path above the marking and impression elementsrespectively, said rollers arranged opposite each other and one of thesame engaging the belt and the other of the same engagingthe mail, andmeans arranged contiguous to the marking and impression elements andengaging the portion of the mail below the belt and adapted to preventtendency of the edge thereof to curl.

In testimony whereof I itfllX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MARTIN V. B. ETHRIDGE. Witnesses:

MAY HUcnEs, ALAN McDoNNnLL.

